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With the way the education system is headed in this country, it’s probably in the best interest of most children that parents choose to home school them. Yet this task is far easier said than done. Even with the best intentions, providing a home-spun education for your child that prepares them for the real can be an enormous challenge for someone with little to no experience in the teaching of growing minds. While every parent that home schools their kids tries their hardest, we can all use a helping hand. The following are five free resources you must never forget about when putting the education of your children in your own hands:
1. Public Television
Cable television has plenty of quality programming that can aid in the development of a child. However, it costs money and the worthwhile shows are far outweighed by the pervasive amount of junk on the tube. Public television, primarily your local PBS station, is packed with incredibly educational material that ranges in sophistication from your standard Sesame Street episode to cutting-edge Frontline journalism.
2. The Government
Apart from public parks, city zoos, museums, aquariums, playgrounds, and libraries, the government from top to bottom is an enormously beneficial resource parents must take advantage of in the self-managed education of their children. Department and agency websites are where any American can retrieve reams of data on life in this country, and most of these institutions are open to the public. Sure, taxes mean it’s not technically free, but if you’re paying for this stuff anyway, take advantage of it.
3. iPhone and Android Apps
Not every app is free, but the overwhelming majority of basic education apps geared toward children are of no cost except some advertising. Whether you feel prepaid phone plans suit your family best, or committing to a contract, utilizing the smartphone can help keep your kids learning on-the-go. Let’s be honest, they love anything that’s a gadget. Don’t fight their wants, give in with a caveat: they have to use it to learn.
4. The Khan Academy
On the days when you just don’t feel like you can give your all in the home-based classroom, don’t give up and let your kids spend the day watching SpongeBob SquarePants. Send them to the Khan Academy, a non-profit source of thousands of hours of video created by Salman Khan. His videos cover all ranges of math, science, and reading whether it’s first-grade level or include in a college course. They’re so good Bill Gates uses them for his kids.
5. Free Time
The average kid enrolled in school probably gets less than an hour of recess daily. And that usually ceases to be part of the school day after 5th grade. Children ought to be left alone for much longer. Two hours of time for a child to reflect on their own thoughts can be incredibly beneficial to their development. Take them to a park and let them do their own thing. It’s free and it makes them feel great.
Home-schooling isn’t easy. But don’t make it anymore hard on yourself than you have to. There are plenty of free resources you can utilize to help encourage your child to learn. Learn to use them.